This invention relates to electrostatically controllable electromechanical binary devices for use as an array, switching matrices, memories and the like.
The prior art contains various examples of electrostatic display elements. One type of device such as is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,984,683 and 3,553,364 includes light valves having flaps extending parallel with the approaching light, with each flap electrostatically divertable to an oblique angle across the light path for either a transmissive or reflective display. U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,997 discloses an electrode which is electrostatically wrapped about a curved fixed electrode to affect the light reflective character of the fixed electrode. Further prior art such as is described in ELECTRONICS, Dec. 7, 1970, pp. 78-83 and I.B.M. Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 3, August 1970, uses an electron gun to electrostatically charge selected portions of a deformable material and thereby alter its light transmissive or reflective properties.
Additional instruction in the area of electrostatically controlled elements useable for display purposes can be gained from the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,336,536, Kalt et al; 4,266,339, Kalt; 4,234,245, Toda et al; 4,229,075, Ueda et al; 4,208,103, Kalt et al; 4,160,583, Ueda et al; 4,160,582, Yasuo; 4,105,294, Peck; 4,094,590, Kalt; 4,065,677, Micheron et al; 3,989,357, Kalt; 3,897,997, Kalt; and, 888,241 Kuhlmann.
The present invention proceeds from material disclosed in Simpson U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,501, and Simpson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,522.
Of background interest are:
W. R. Aiken: "An Electrostatic Sign-The Distec System", Society for Information Display June 1972, pp. 108-9;
J. L. Bruneel et al: "Optical Display Device Using Bistable Elements", Applied Physics Letters, vol. 30, no. 8, Apr. 15, 1977, pp. 382-3, and
R. T. Gallagher: "Microshutters Flip to Form Characters in Dot-Matrix Display", Electronics, July 14, 1983, pp. 81-2.